Ghosts of the Sea
by Princess Hannah
Summary: On a very important anniversary, Archie and Maxie go to the beach at Slateport and talk about ghosts.


"Hey Maxie."

"Hmm?" Maxie looked up from his book.

"We've been together, what, three years now?" Archie continued.

"As of last month, yes," replied Maxie.

"Well, I was thinkin': you know how around this time every year I take off for Slateport for a day to visit Dad?"

"Of course."

"Well…I was thinkin' you could come along this year. I know I usually make this trip alone, but…I think I'm ready for some company. Whaddaya say?"

"Hmm," Maxie nodded. "Alright. If you would like me there, then I would be happy to join you. I'm assuming your father is a fairly agreeable fellow?"

"Yeah…he was…" said Archie, sadly.

"…Oh."

"Yeah…we won't exactly be 'meeting' him per se…"

"I'm sorry, I didn't know."

Archie waved a hand. "It's okay. We haven't exactly been open books about our families, have we?"

They arrived in Slateport the next day and made their way straight to the beach on Route 109. Archie was somber, quite the opposite of his usual jolly self, and Maxie could respect that. Neither of them ever really talked about their families, except for passing mentions of childhood activities. Maxie knew that Archie had a seaside upbringing, and Archie knew that Maxie came from a fairly upper-crust household, but that was about it. Between whatever secrets their youths held and the humbling defeat of the Teams they'd worked so hard for, they preferred not to dwell on the darkness of the past, only to let it point them to a better future. As they neared the water's edge, Archie held up a hand.

"Wait here a sec," he said, and stepped out further, standing just so that the ocean lapped up against the soles of his shoes. Maxie caught a faint "hey Dad," and respectfully averted his gaze and ears. While Archie talked to the sea, Maxie tried to focus on other sounds: the Wingulls and Pelippers overhead, the children laughing and splashing in the surf, the wind. Despite many people assigning him the one personality trait of hating water, that wasn't the reason Maxie wasn't fond of beaches. It was the sheer vastness of the sea itself, the endless horizon over the water that made him feel so small as a child, that feeling that Hoenn was the only inhabitable place on the face of the earth. That feeling of unforgiving emptiness.

Archie finally called him over. Maxie strode to his side as Archie put a hand on his shoulder.

"Dad," said Archie, "this is Maxie. He's as big a land-lover as ever you'll meet, but he's everything to me. A few years ago he did the same crazy thing as me…"

_Oh no, please don't bring this up in front of your father…_ Maxie cringed.

"…and sometimes I wonder if he'd succeeded…if we'd've been able to find your body."

Maxie un-cringed. He wasn't sure if he should take that as a compliment, a sincere wish from a grieving man, or just Archie having a more morbid sense of humor than Maxie thought.

"Well…either way, I thought you should know that I'm happy with my life now, and…I still miss you. Every day." He let go of Maxie's shoulder as they continued to stare out into the distance in silence. Finally, Archie sighed. "He'd be ashamed of some of the things I've done."

Maxie reached over and took Archie's hand in his. "But I think he'd been proud of the man you've become." Archie smiled, ever so faintly.

"Yeah, maybe you're right…"

After a few more minutes of silence, Maxie finally dared to ask: "What happened to him?"

"He was a sailor on a patrol boat," said Archie. "They monitor the waters of Hoenn. He was always out all day. Barely saw him myself. But when he was home…oh, no man could love his family more. I think it took its toll on Mom, though. She always said she knew what she was getting into when she married a sailor, but I don't think she really meant it. She never liked it when Dad was away all the time. One day when I was twelve…well, I'm sure you know the story: freak storm came up, boats went missing, never to be seen again, bunch of 'em washed up on the shores later with no survivors. The one thing the people that did survive had in common was that they had Water Pokémon on hand. Dad only had one: a Seaking. Loved that thing, called it the Belle of the Ball of the Sea. For days after the storm I was sure Dad was gonna come riding back on that Pokémon, home by 8 o'clock, just like he always was. One day that Seaking came back…but no Dad in sight. I've hated Seaking ever since. Guess that's why I wound up a Sharpedo man. But yeah, his boat used to dock right over there. Last thing he said to me was the same thing he always said when he left: You're man of the house now, Archie. And the last thing I said to him was: okay, bye Dad." Archie heaved a great shuddering sigh and wiped a single tear from his face. "Mom and I grew apart after that. I decided to leave home on a Pokémon journey within the year and I've barely seen her since. Ten years later I met you for the first time and, well, I guess the rest is history. I just…I just miss him, Max."

Maxie gave Archie's hand a comforting squeeze. Another silence.

"Ya know what confuses me?" said Archie, abruptly. "Unova."

"What about Unova?"

"A mostly-land region with bridges covering nearly all its water, barely anyplace to possibly drown, and yet _they're_ the native region of the only known Water/Ghost types."

Maxie raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure Frillish and Jellicent come from people, though? The only thing the Pokédex says about them is their alarming habit for drowning people, not rising from them."

"True," said Archie. "But sometimes I wonder. Especially now that Frillish've started appearing here in Hoenn. Part of me…can't bring myself to fight any of 'em in case one of 'em's Dad."

Maxie had a strong urge to suggest that Archie try contacting his mother again, but then he realized just how hypocritical that might sound. He hadn't had any contact with his family in years either, and he had no intention of doing so anytime soon. "You know," he said instead, "I've never really understood the practice of talking at someone's grave. It seems…rather profoundly pointless. No one's going to hear you."

"Yeah," said Archie, "but it's nice to think that they're out there _some_where listenin' to ya."

"I think it would just make me feel more alone."

Now it was Archie's turn to give Maxie's hand a comforting squeeze. "You should try it sometime. You never know, it might make you feel better."

"Hmm," Maxie murmured, noncommittally.

"You wanna go out for dinner and then head home?" asked Archie. Maxie gave one of his trademark half-smiles.

"Sounds delightful," he said. As they were exiting the restaurant a few hours later, Maxie had an idea. "Actually, Archie, I want to stop at Mt. Pyre first. There's…something I should do. Alone."

Archie took the hint and smiled. "Gotcha. Hope you can make your peace." Maxie nodded back.

"I'll see you back at home late tonight." The two men went their separate ways.

Archie arrived back at the house outside of Lilycove and sat on the sofa in deep contemplation for a long time. There was a phone number he was trying to remember. Taking a deep breath, he walked over to the phone and lifted up the receiver, cautiously dialing the number. He closed his eyes as the phone rang…and rang…and rang…

"…Hello?"

"M-mom? It's…it's Archie…"

There was a half-shocked half-delighted gasp on the other end as Archie stifled another wave of tears.

Maxie flew his Crobat out to Mt. Pyre and stepped gingerly into the entranceway. He hoped he remembered where it was, since he hadn't been here to pay respects since the burial. After ascending the staircase and passing a handful of other mourning trainers, he finally found it. He'd forgotten that there was a family plot. Of course there was a family plot, his stuck-up self-important parents wouldn't have it any other way.

And sometimes Maxie wondered why he turned out the way he did.

He approached the smallest headstone, only a couple feet tall and engraved with a Pokéball emblem. Maxie reached into his jacket and pulled out an old photograph. He'd had it laminated years ago, in the event that he accidentally forgot to take it out before doing laundry. Maxie wasn't a terribly sentimental type, but this was one of his most treasured possessions. It showed a young red-haired boy, Maxie suspected he was about six or so, riding a Camerupt. His very first Pokémon.

"Hello, Cammy," said Maxie, feeling his eyes watering already. "I'm sorry it's been so long…"


End file.
